


Upside Down

by coffeeandbeans



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Basketball team captain Chanyeol, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Implied Taoris, Implied Xiuchen, M/M, Mutual Pining, Student Council President Kris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 04:55:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15988070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeeandbeans/pseuds/coffeeandbeans
Summary: Baekhyun got Chanyeol walking sideways and Chanyeol wouldn’t know just what to do.





	Upside Down

**Author's Note:**

> Please listen to Tori Kelly's [Upside Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYC6fB4uvJE) while reading this and I'm sorry for typos and grammatical errors in advance.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Damn it, Baekhyun."

Said man scoffed and glared at the taller.

"Did you just curse at me?"

 

Oops.

 

With that said, the smaller started to dabbed the cotton swab on the taller's bruises harshly, emphasizing his annoyance with every sharp glare and mumbles of 'idiot's and 'dumb's.

"Ow. Ouch. Baek, careful," Chanyeol tried to protest by grabbing onto the brunette's hand to stop the assault, but to no avail.

"Stop telling me to be careful when you, yourself don't know the meaning of 'be careful'."

"I already said I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get into a fight with that man."

"And I told you that I'm okay. You don't have to throw him a punch. Look at what happened to your face? What am I going to tell your mom when she saw this?" Baekhyun exasperatedly said, gesturing to Chanyeol's bruised cheek and busted lip.

 

Right. Apparently, Chanyeol got into a fight with a certain someone trying to advance on Baekhyun.

 

It was already dismissal time and it was a Friday when Mr. Lee decided to let Chanyeol stay for a while to help him carry their lab manuals to the faculty room. Chanyeol, being the tough and gentlemanly student that he is, graciously offered him his hand. Telling Baekhyun to head first in their lockers and wait for him to head home together. He followed behind his professor, having occasional chat about their subject and what not. They trekked from the third floor, where most of the laboratories are conveniently placed, to the next building where the faculty room was located. Once he deposited the heavy manuals in Mr. Lee's designated table, he politely bowed and said his farewell before he was dismissed.

Chanyeol dandily whistled as he made his way to the familiar corridors of their building, eyeing the student's who are busy throwing insults at each other and cheering with joy because TGIF. All of the students were relieved to have a two-day off school and two days without thinking of anything related to school, having a breather from their hectic lives as a student.

Park Chanyeol, like any other student, was already busy thinking of ways to spend the weekend with a certain someone. A certain someone with fluffy brown hair, droopy eyes, cute button nose, and a thin pair of lips that showcased the most bubbly laugh and brightest rectangular smile.

His mind is filled with the things he wanted the smaller to try and maybe roped him up in a sleepover and play video games all night, or watch a Pirates of Caribbean marathon because who couldn't resist Jack Sparrow! More like, ‘Yarn, I couldn’t resist mate’.

Smirking to himself with his brilliant idea, he turned a corner and was finally greeted with the sight of the man he was thinking of.

Byun Baekhyun.

His childhood best friend.

His best friend from across the street.

His best friend for life.

The apple of his almond eyes.

His best friend that—

 

 

was being cornered by a someone who is **not** _him_.

 

Chanyeol rushed to lessen the distance between them, his palms itching to tear the guy away from breaching Baekhyun's personal space. The guy, who was trying to come closer to Baekhyun, who was busy to sport his most nonchalant expression. He was just five steps away, and he could perfectly hear what they were talking about, or rather, what the man was trying to say to a very uncomfortable Baekhyun.

"Just one date, Baekhyun. Please. Just one date."

The guy now has his arms on each side of Baekhyun's head, looking straight at the brunette's frightened eyes.

"Ho-how a-abo-about no?" Baekhyun stuttered, obviously showing his disagreement with the idea of a date with the said man he perfectly doesn't know, much less Chanyeol.

"You don't know what you're saying, sweetheart," the man said, smirking and totally invading Baekhyun's breathing space, cupped his face and inched his face closer.

That snapped Chanyeol. He reached a hand and twirled the man harshly, landing a punch on his left jaw and sending him to the floor. He felt his blood rushed through his veins and made his heart pumped more blood than necessary, his head becoming hot as his frown deepened from anger and concerned. He sent the man daggers and if looks could kill, the man may be as well, be found, six feet under the ground.

"Chanyeol!"

He immediately looked at him and saw Baekhyun's face. "Are you okay?" He asked, rage and annoyance dissipated as soon as he laid his eyes on the shaken brunette and hugged him tightly.

Their contact was short-lived, though. Not long after, the man got up and attacked Chanyeol from behind, completely disentangling him from their embrace.

"Oh my God, Chanyeol!"

Their brawl probably gathered attention by now, coupled with Baekhyun's shouts to 'Stop' and the students' cheers for whoever has the upper hand. Luckily for Baekhyun, he doesn't have to endure too much yelling because their friends arrived just in time to rescue.

Kris, pulled Chanyeol effortlessly if he is abnormally tall, then their friend, Kris, is abnormally taller. That explains the easiness and quickness of the task to peel him off the man. Sehun and Jongdae on the other hand, are having trouble with the man since he was trying to fight their grip on him.

Baekhyun immediately rushed to his side, tiptoeing so that he could inspect Chanyeol for any damage. The latter only sported a few bruises on the cheek and a busted lip while the man, way smaller than Chanyeol, endured a bleeding nose and a black eye coupled with bruises on the lips and cheeks.

The crowd simultaneously thinned when Kris, the student council President shooed them away as he helped the bruised man to the clinic with Sehun and Jongdae in tow.

 

 

That is why Chanyeol found himself seated in Baekhyun's bed that Friday afternoon with a very annoyed brunette trying to tend to his bruises.

"You really don't have to do that, Chanyeollie. We could've had just walked away like nothing happened."

"Well, I can't. The man almost molested you. Who wouldn't get mad when they saw their best friend was about to get harassed?!"

Chanyeol didn't know where his outburst came from. What he is sure is that he doesn't want anything bad to happen to Baekhyun. He needed to protect him no matter what. That is what best friends do right?

Baekhyun sighed. "Okay. I'm sorry I wasn't able to defend myself a while ago. I thought the man would leave me behind after I turned him down. I guess I underestimated him." The brunette said as he finished applying ointment on Chanyeol's face, gathering all the used items and throwing the cotton swabs in the bin.

"Who was he anyway?"

Chanyeol watched him as he got up and returned the first aid kit in the bathroom.

"I don't know. It's my first time seeing his face, though."

"Me neither," Chanyeol muttered and then looked up from Baekhyun who was standing before him.

The silence stretched between them. It is the kind of silence that soothingly enveloped them, the ones, people needed for once in a while that need not make them squirm in awkwardness.

"Can we play video games now?" Chnayeol quipped, breaking the stillness as he gauged Baekhyun's reaction.

"No. You can't. After that stunt, you pulled a while ago? Huh.” Baekhyun scoffed. “How about no?" The smaller chided, somewhat mockingly.

"Hey! That's not fair!"

Chanyeol pouted, still looking up at Baekhyun who now has his hands on his wide hips matching with the constant tapping of his foot on the carpeted floor.

He cowered from the raised eyebrow of Baekhyun, weighing the words he would say so as not to trigger the brunette's temper any longer. "Can we at least watch a movie, then?”

 

 

“Please?"

"Okay. But we need to tell your mom about your bruises. Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To your house."

Chanyeol immediately hugged Baekhyun and shoved his face into his stomach, wincing in pain as his wound came in contact with the fabric of Baekhyun's school uniform.

"No no no no no." he taller vehemently said, tightening further his hold on the brunette as he burrowed his head further to Baekhyun’s surprisingly very soft tummy (he made a mental note to let Baekhyun eat more to maintain his figure). His mom will totally flip shit if she knew that he was involved in a fight. He is sure of that.

"Come on, we should see your mom this instant."

"Noooo. Baek, have mercy on me.

"Don't be such a baby, Yeol. Man up and own up to your actions."

"Hey! Why are you being so mean to me?"

Baekhyun sighed. Energy drained from all the force he used to untangle Chanyeol's hands from his waist. "Yeol, we need to tell your mom about this. I can't have her worrying about you and your whereabouts."

 

LIES.

 

Chanyeol's mom would know where to find his son every single time he was not around their house. She would just walk a few meters from across the street, knock on the Byun's door, and pull at his son's ear to drag him home.

What the smaller wanted to do is to come clean to Mrs. Park that he got Chanyeol into this situation. That it is not Chanyeol's fault why he went home with bruises and a busted lower lip. Thankfully Mrs. Park only gave them a smile and told the both of them to be more careful next time, surprisingly no ear pulling and no fifteen pages speech of profanities and rage. She even pinched Baekhyun’s cheek and gave him a jar of cookies after giving her the permission to have Chanyeol at their house.

"You know my mom wouldn't get mad when it comes to you," the giant said as they both settled in Baekhyun's bed.

The latter could only smirk at that, earning a dramatic gasp from the taller and an accusatory finger pointed at his direction as the events finally sink in his mind.

"You planned all of this! You planned on ratting me off to my mom because you knew she wouldn't get mad at you!"

"How could you do this to me?! I'm your best friend! How come you have forsaken me?!" The loud voice of Chanyeol resonated around the smaller’s room, making Mrs. Byun knock on the door and check up on them only to be dismissed by Baekhyun who was trying to stifle his laughter.

Baekhyun only shook his head from the overdramatic Chanyeol, dismissing him in favor of pressing play on the remote control. The two spent their weekends lazing around the Byun’s household.

 

 

"Come on, hyung. Stop barricading Baekhyun hyung already." Sehun said matter of factly only to be shot down with a glare in his general direction.

“Okay, chill. I’m only saying.” The man then pouted and continued fiddling with his phone in favor of texting his boyfriend. 

"You see, Yeol. It's been how many weeks since the incident happened—" 

"I'm just making sure no one's trying to harm Baekhyun _again_." 

"We get that you're overprotective towards Baek," Jongdae said, emphasizing the word over to get his point across Chanyeol's thick skull.

"What our Sehunnie is trying to point out here is that you've been ten times more overprotective towards Baekhyun." 

It's true. Chanyeol would always be so touchy with the mere mention of the incident, loathing it to bits and pieces. Ever since the fight, Chanyeol started to stick around Baekhyun more often (if that's even possible). He won't even keep his eyes away from the smaller man and would always see to it that he was accompanied by one of their friends when he was busy with their basketball practice. Even their classmates and schoolmates started to steer clear of their way whenever they saw Chanyeol and Baekhyun. They have been the power duo since grade school, and senior year is no other different. What changed though is the extreme affinity of the both towards each other. 

Jongdae sighed as he saw the faraway look of Chanyeol, coupled with Sehun's scoff and Kris' bored eye roll. "The bottom line is, when are you planning to confess to him?" 

Chanyeol nearly gave himself a whiplash from how fast he turned his head towards Jongdae's direction, giving him incredulous looks that somewhat looked constipated and alarmed—scandalized even. 

“Jongdae! Shut up!” Chanyeol growled as he tried to look in every direction for anyone who could’ve heard Jongdae’s loud mouth.

His reaction seemingly triggered Sehun’s and Kris’ attention making his futile attempt to stop them from bringing up his unrequited love for his best friend went in vain as they started to give him those shit eating grins coupled with their weird wiggles of eyebrows.

 “It’s time to man up and sweep him off his feet, Chanyeol.”

“It’s been what? Five years?”

Chanyeol visibly winced at that, realizing that he has been crushing on his best friend for that long already. But instead of reeling on the span of time of his one-sided conquest, he mentally patted himself for keeping up a good job in hiding his feelings. It’s a tight fit to battle with friendship and affection after all. He was deemed confused when he first felt and noticed those abnormal thumping of his heart and the unsettling knot in his stomach whenever Baekhyun radiated his sunshine on his dull world, labeling it as just a phase. And perhaps, they were both young back then, easily fooled by the concept of love.

But this phase mitotically developed, raising alarms in Chanyeol’s head whenever he interacted with the male. Weighing his options, scrutinizing between friendship and love, he chose the former. Friendship was heavier by a milligram so he decided to tuck these feelings in a box inside his head. It is impossible not to fall for Baekhyun. With the smaller’s ethereal features and pleasing personality, one would be damned to let someone like him slip from their hands.

Silence stretched on their table, three expectant guys waiting for a comeback from Chanyeol. "What are you talking about?" He tried to dodge the question as per usual.

"You guys are extremely clingy towards each other," Kris started. "Don't even get me started with your annoying and gross display of best friends' affection."

"And what do you mean by that, Mr. President?" Chanyeol mocked, finding offense from Kris' blunt words.

"Remember that one time during our socialization way back junior year? I saw you guys at the bar counter, standing too close to each other and you have your hand around Baekhyun's waist so that he could lean on you because he's too tipsy to function."

"Not to mention there is enough space for you two to occupy since everybody was on the dance floor doing their thing."

"And that one-time Baekhyun was so sleepy, he wasn't able to sleep because of the shifting exam, you let him sleep on your shoulder in the library."

"AND, you let him wear your hoodie. Not just one time, but every other time."

Chanyeol was lost from how fast and how simultaneous his friends tell those things to his face, making it incomprehensible to his fogged-up mind. He was still processing word by word, trying to understand what they were trying to convey by stating their habits. He was ready to retort with a witty comeback when Sehun started again.

"And hyung, don't feign innocence that you don't give Baekhyun-hyung those gooey eyes, it's disgusting."

 

 

"Hey!" 

Chanyeol really felt offended by now. He's gooey eyes are not disgusting, it's what makes Baekhyun's defenses to crumble down and grant Chanyeol's absurd and (bordering to) nonsense requests. He pouted, he is sure Baekhyun loves those gooey eyes. He also made a mental note to ask Baekhyun later for confirmation (and reassurance).

"You are just jealous that walking Chinese wushu stick wouldn't want to date you."

"What the fuck, man. Why are you attacking me?!" Kris said, throwing daggers at Chanyeol's direction.

"I can't diss him because he has a boyfriend, not even Jongdae because he has Minsek hyung to flirt with. I only have you to attack because of your lack of love life."

They all burst into laughter from that and not quite after, Jongdae mumbled something along the lines of, "I see. You guys are really best friends. You two are both oblivious."

"What the he—"

Chanyeol wasn't able to finish his sentence when a voice quipped from behind him, leaving him frozen in place as he slowly turned to look at the newly arrived Baehyun  
"Who's oblivious?"

Chanyeol gave a nervous laugh and sent Jongdae pleading looks.

"The both of—"

"That Chinese guy Kris here was trying to woo." Chanyeol blurted, face heating up from Baekhyun's warm palm that was resting on his shoulder.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, was sporting a confused look, morphing into amusement as he heard about the Chinese student.

"Ah, so Tao, huh." He said, taking the seat on Chanyeol's right side, the latter letting out a sigh of relief as Baekhyun's attention was diverted. He gave Jongdae and Sehun a glare and a smirk in Kris' direction before unconsciously wrapping his hand around Baekhyun's waist whom automatically scooted closer to Chanyeol.

The trio could only shake their heads and smile in amusement from the situation.

 

 

Chanyeol was dripping wet. His hair occasionally carpeted his forehead matted with sweat as he gulped down a large amount of water—his prominent Adam's apple played a major role by bobbing every time he swallowed.

"Good job team!" His coach told them as they dismissed their team for a job well done in their vigorous practice, exiting the gym but not without patting Chanyeol's back and having a talk.

The talk with his coach stretched for how many minutes already, making the sweat to start to stick to Chanyeol's skin like a second layer from how it made him stuffy and uncomfortable. Basketball team captain? Sure. He's been accustomed to these talks that he naturally tuned out what their coach is trying to say. He's already feeling irritated, honestly. His brows creasing deeply as he tried to wave off the impatience.

Chanyeol detected a movement in his peripheral vision, catching his attention in the midst of his talk with their coach. There, standing how many feet away from their spot, just three rows above the bleachers, is Baekhyun—who was busy sending him his cute smile and waving his beautiful hands at him. Chanyeol, in return, from his stupor sent him a nod of acknowledgment and a wolfish smile couldn’t help but bloom on his frowning face.

As if on cue, his coach finally dismissed him, making Chanyeol bolt from the other side of the court to where Baekhyun just got down from the stairs who immediately enveloped him in a towel.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey yourself," Baekhyun answered, taking it upon himself to wipe Chanyeol's face with the towel.

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Not more than ten minutes. I accompanied Kyungsoo in the lab before going here."

"You did?"

"Yeah? Why? Did you miss me that much?"

A tinge of pink dusted Chanyeol’s cheeks. That's the thing about Baekhyun. Everything that comes out of his mouth flowed from it smoothly. Like there is no underlying meaning behind his treacherous words.

He hummed. "Maybe. I don't want you loitering around the campus without me, though." Chanyeol honestly said.

"We've been through this Yeol. I'm perfectly fine. And besides, I have Kyungsoo to ward off the bad guys." The smaller joked as he continued wiping the sweat off Chanyeol's biceps this time.

"You're just saying that to appease me."

Chanyeol suddenly felt warmth coursed through his body from the amount of concentration Baekhyun is putting on the task at hand. The close proximity made Chanyeol study Baekhyun's features intently.

From his small stature, his soft and delicate droopy eyes that forms crescents when he smiles, his cute button nose that easily colors red when dust and other pollen violated his olfactory, his ever so chubby cheeks with its natural blush, his thin, and pink lips adorned with a cute mole on his cupid's bow. Baekhyun is handsome, pretty even.

 

_Has Baekhyun always been this glowing?_

 

Chanyeol doesn't know. What he was sure is that his heart is doing one of those abnormal poundings, skipping a beat and then picking its pace as he stared longer at Baekhyun.

"Aww. Such a big baby. Go take a shower already. You stink." Baekhyun said, giving him a slight push towards the shower room.

 

 

"What's up, lover boy?" Is what greeted Chanyeol as soon as he stepped foot on the shower room, his friends giving him wolf whistles as their teammates gave him knowing smiles.

"Who's lover boy?" He said, giving them the nonchalance as he stripped off his clothing, stepping in one of the cubicles to start showering already. Not wanting to bore Baekhyun by letting him wait for him any longer, besides, he already wanted to rest and enjoy the weekend.

“You guys were not so subtle, so no need to hide and deny it.”

“We saw you two being chummy chummy.”

“By the way, you guys looked cute together.”

With that being said, he earned a lot of coos and deep squeals from his teammates.

Sehun scoffed, baffled by the lack of the generic response from Chanyeol and decided to torment him a little bit more. "You two looked cute awhile ago. You know, Baekhyun wiping the sweat from your face and body. The height difference is the winning factor though."

Their teammates agreed in the background, only stopping when he threatened them for an extra lapse of stretching for their next practice but Sehun remained unwavering.

"You're abnormally tall hyung, and Baekhyun is so tiny you have to lean your head down a little so that he could reach your head and it's not even enough so you have to hold him by the waist to steady him as he tiptoed," Sehun said in the midst of the pouring water from the shower, letting out a coo that sounded like a purr.

"Ahh~ isn't it the cutest thing ever?"

Sehun only stopped when a bottle of shampoo landed on his head.

 

 

Chanyeol was lost.

He was lost as he stared at Baekhyun as if he had grown two heads.

"What?"

"..."

"Yeol, is there something on my face?"

"..."

"Chanyeollie~~~"

Chanyeol stared helplessly at the cuteness before him, keeping all his sanity and strength in check as Baekhyun continued to whine for attention.

"Yeol," the brunette then started again, all puppy eyes and pouty lips included.

"..."

"Chanyeol~~"

 

Baekhyun helplessly whined as he stared at Chanyeol, gauging for any reaction to the stone-faced giant. Chanyeol has been acting weird lately. He always caught the taller spacing out in the middle of their conversation and going rigid ad stiff whenever their skin accidentally brushed against each other. Heck, even cuddling became stiff.

Lunch ended being uneventful without the usual ruckus their friends always do as they tease them in extra ways possible. Lunchtime grew boring for Baekhyun because of the lack of attention from a certain tall male with ears that proudly stick out of its reign.

Baekhyun continued to sulk and pout as he stared at his notes, not totally in the mood to review and comprehend his neat scrawls in favor of thumping his head lightly on his desk.

He's on his nth attempt of repeating to thump his head to the hard surface when a palm made a contact on his forehead, preventing another fit of a possible concussion.

"Stop that."

Baekhyun looked up eagerly as he heard the very familiar timbre of Chanyeol, his eyes searching almond ones as he looked up expectantly and lo and behold. He was graced with furrowed brows and the handsome face of his best friend.

"Hi," he said unabashedly as if he was not caught banging his head.

"Don't _hi_ me. What do you think you're doing?"

Baekhyun pouted from the use of reprimanding tone doming from Chanyeol. “Pfft. I’m bored. You’re no fun during lunch.”

He saw the tall male crooked an eyebrow at him, completely not amused by the answer. He gulped, taking a lungful of air as he sat next to Baekhyun. “Sorry.”

To say that Baekhyun was surprised is an understatement. “You should be. How could you ignore me like that?”

He answered, pulling his best whining. “You don’t have time for me anymore,” Baekhyun said, pouting even more from the realization. The varsity has been practicing vigorously for an interschool match which will be held at their school. Chanyeol, being the team captain, has grown stressed and pressured by the expectations of the whole school and their coach. They still went home together but the time allotted to wait for Chanyeol was spent with Baekhyun, accompanying Kyungsoo more often in the laboratory or annoying Jongdae to no end.  Chanyeol will flip to no end if he ever found out that Baekhyun has been roaming around the campus without supervision. Baekhyun scoffed. What is he, a child?

“Baek, it’s not like that.”

“I know. I just want your constant presence.” He answered honestly.

 

 

Chanyeol’s heart did a somersault. He spent the time in practice to divert his attention from his friends’ constant teasing and the reminder of his one-sided, unrequited love for his best friend. Apparently, his friends made it a need to pester him about his growing affection which he tried to tame for years.

What he didn’t expect is for the words he hardly imagined to be coming out of Baekhyn’s mouth to be uttered in his muddled state.

He felt something pricked his heart from the sad tone Baekhyun used. Chanyeol admittedly knew that their quality time was mostly spent shortly with stiff cuddling and more sleep, nothing like their ordinary weekends. Besides, he is still trying to restrain himself from doing god knows what to Baekhyun because apparently, his tamed feelings for his best friend was wildly clawing his insides because of their friends. It is not helping that Baekhyun is being extremely clingy. Ugh. His poor heart could only handle a fluff-ful of his midget

He is just thankful Baekhyun didn’t question his weird antics.

“I’m sorry. I promise to make it up to you.”

“You better be. Win that match and cuddle with me after.” ~~Your time spent in practice better be worth the time we spent away from each other~~.

The interschool competition happened two nights after. Royal blue and white decorated every corner of their school with some banner representing other school’s logo. The gym is packed with students, holding banners and cheering for their own teams. Chanyeol fidgeted in his seat, fiddling with his phone to distract him from feeling jittery. Just as their coach started to call on them, his phone vibrated. He can’t help but smile as he stared at his screen.

 

_From: Baekhyunee_

_Make me proud, Yeol._

 

 

Jongdae yelled at Baekhyun as he saw the smaller made his way past the throngs of students who were exiting the gymnasium. They are both going against the current of students, having to endure the slight push just to reach the other side of the court.

“Yeol!”

Jongdae could only smirk as he saw Baekhyun draped himself in Chanyeol’s sweaty body. He found it gross the scene before him but it made him coo in pure cuteness. Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun were giggling from a joke being whispered from each other’s ear. He shook his head and made his way towards them, congratulating the team for a job well done.

“Congrats, man.” He shouted which he was grateful that it reached Chanyeol’s ear.

“Thanks.”

“Hi Baekhyun hyung, where’s my hug?” Sehun playfully quipped from beside them, sending teasing smirks and knowing looks. Baekhyun was still clinging to Chanyeol, with the latter’s hand perched on the former’s waist.

“You shower first, brat.”

“Hey! You hugged Chanyeol hyung all sweaty and wet.”

The exchanged caught some of the team’s attention and they all laughed at the playful banter. Everything is fine, everybody is having the post-match victory running through their veins when someone came near them and threw a punch in Chanyeol’s face, causing him to stumble.

“Oh my god!”

 

 

It was Baekhyun loud shriek that brought everyone to action. The team immediately restrained the man who punched Chanyeol, dragging him away from them. Baekhyun immediately latched himself on Chanyeol, fawning over his bruised lip as his brows scrunched in anger.

“I swear to God, this is the last time that you will be involved in a fight Chanyeol-ah.”

“It’s not really a fight?”

“Fight? Brawl? Whatever. It’s the same thing for me.”

Chanyeol found himself again, fresh from the shower with an angry Baekhyun tending to his bruise. All protests and retorts were pushed back down his throat to let the smaller vent out his anger.

Not long after, Kris came and sent the two amused looks and then sported his nonchalant reaction. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yes—“

“How can you say you are okay when you’ve got yourself another bruise?!”

He sent Kris a pleading look as he tried not to wince any further.

“Don’t try to deny that the other team players went way more past physical on you. They obviously targeted you.”

“Baek—“

“Yeol—“

“Okay, break it up lovebirds.” The two of them looked up to the two new arrivals—Sehun and Jongdae. Both were sending them those mirthful gazes that only meant no good.

“Thanks, man. I could use the help. Anyway, I came here to inform you about the guy you punched you.”

“Who—“

“Who is he?! Let me see him!” Baekhyun said, ready to bolt out from the locker room if not for his hands that tightened its grip on his waist.

“You will do no such thing, Baek.” He said, opting to use his not amused tone.

“But, Yeol—“

“It’s okay. I’m okay. It is just a bruise. It will heal soon.”

They break from their eye contact when Kris cleared his throat, giving their attention to their friend.  “So, apparently, the one who tried to make a move on Baek, was the same person you punched you a while ago.”

“What?!” 

Kris shrugged and stared at the two and left them to their own devices to settle the complaint to be emailed.

 

 

The week passed like nothing happened. Everything went back to normal except for Chanyeol’s stricter rules for Baekhyun and earning himself a _‘But, Yeol~’_.

The announcement about the upcoming socialization party circulated their department as soon as their weekend started. Everybody was looking forward to a night of academic-free and a night of dancing and partying. Everybody was being swamped with the energy and hype of the highlight of the semester. It was a masquerade ball this time.

“Baekhyun hyung, who are you going to the ball this time?” Sehun asked as he munched on his salad.

“Chanyeollie, why?” Baekhyun asked, casting Chanyeol a glance to seek confirmation only to be met by a forkful of turnip which he gladly chomped on.

“Oh, I see.”

“Don’t get me wrong. Isn’t it no use to go on a date with someone since it’s a masquerade party?” Jongdae quipped, eyebrows scrunching in incomprehensiveness.

“No, you don’t get it hyung.  This is the fifth time we are having a masquerade party. Have you heard the tale?” Sehun said again, suddenly feeling done of his friends’ clueless faces.

“Tell us more about it.”

The seriousness that enveloped their table was unusual, Chanyeol had never had a dull moment with his friends so he let the quietness caught up to him, seeing as Baekhyun was also all ears too what Sehun was about to say.

“As I was saying, this is the fifth time that we are going to be hosting a masquerade party. The ball was only held every after a decade, which means, every after ten years. Ten years, mind you. And it is not your ordinary, masquerade party. There is a twist to this. Every student was allowed to attend the party, with a partner or not, granted that they needed to wear a mask the moment the clock ticked at exactly fifteen minutes before midnight. Then everyone has to spread and look for a partner to dance with and have to twirl and exchange partners with every change in tempo and rhythm of the song that is being played. The exciting part is that, as the time neared twelve midnight, a special song will be played in a slower manner and you needed to twirl at last beat of the song and should stop right in front of your next partner and then reveal yourselves.” Seeing the puzzled look, Sehun sighed and opted to explain the party in simple words but not without muttering a low key ‘dumbs’.

“In simple words, every student who will attend the party, with partners or not, needed to wear a mask at eleven forty-five, songs will be played and everyone needed to twirl their partner and then exchange with the ones to your right, repeat until a slower song will be played and then your last partner for the night will be the last person to where you were exchanged too and then everybody has to take off their masks.”

“Where’s the exciting part there?” Chanyeol asked, looking skeptical.

“The exciting part is,” Kris interjected, having been impatient with the amount of time Sehun has been stalling. “It is said that your last partner for the night will be the one destined for you. You guys will fall in love with each other at first sight and all the clichés in the world. I don’t know man, it’s what have been circulating since forever.” He ended, sipping on his black soda drink coolly.

Chanyeol, being the detached person that he is, immediately went back from eating his lunch, occasionally feeding Baekhyun with veggies as the latter mulled over something that Kris said. The idea of finding you’re the one in the ball sparked something from within him.

“Yeol, we should buy our suits this weekend! And masks too!”

“Sure, whenever you like Baek.” Baekhyun smiled at him and then took the opportunity to feed him another slice of potato to shield his eyes from the assaulting bright of Baekhyun. The interaction went with Kris, Jongdae, and Sehun gaping in awe with the love-struck appearance of their friends.

 

The day of the ball rolled in immediately. Chanyeol was already standing outside the Byun’s household, looking dashing with his suit that hugged his frame perfectly, his hair pushed back to showcase his to-die-for forehead. A minute has passed and the door finally opened, revealing a smaller man in a suit, with his soft hair, parted in the middle and eyes lined with kohl and dabbed with the faintest of eyeshadows.

“You look pretty.”

“Am I a girl?”  and patted his chest areaChanyeol shrugged, still taking his time to eye his friend.  “Anyway, you look handsome yourself,” Baekhyun answered this time, as he reached to fix Chanyeol’s tie.

“You ready?”

“Ready as ever.”

Chanyeol, being the gentleman that he was, opened the car’s door to the passenger side for Baekhyun, chuckling as they both curtsied and drove them off.

Both of them came to the venue with their masks completely hidden from view with each other, as per Baekhyun's request. They went together to buy their suits but separated in the middle of looking for masks so as not spoil each other if ever they both ended up being the last partners.

All eyes were on them as soon as they stepped foot in the large hall, walking side by side as they exchanged greetings to co-seniors as they tried to find their friends only to find them in a table near the bar counter, again.

“What took you long, lovebirds?”

“What? I needed to prepare for this evening,” came a teasing reply of Baekhyun.

“Have you been preparing for someone, tonight?” Sehun answered, suddenly interested in the conversation as he handed the two of them with drinks.

"Maybe?” Baekhyun quipped cheekily, earning a furrowed brow from Chanyeol only to be erased as he sent Chanyeol a look.

“Were you?”

“Huh?”

Before he could even get a comprehensible answer, he was thankfully interrupted by Kyungsoo, running their way.

“Baek!”

“Soo! You look stunning tonight!”

Kyungsoo snorted, returning the compliment graciously. “I need to show you something!”

“Oh.” The brunette answered, immediately looking in his direction.

“What?”

“Can I go with Soo?”

Chanyeol was lost for a second, only to realize that Baekhyun was trying to seek his permission.

“Sure.”

“I won’t wander around, I promise."

The four boys watched the retreating figures of the two, sipping from their glasses occasionally. “I already told you to confess to him already.”

The taller nearly spluttered his drink, coughing a little from the sudden statement. He sighed. He should have known his friends wouldn’t let him live with it. “It’s not that easy.”

“Yes, it is! You just need to bare your heart to him.”

“Easy to say.”

“You wouldn’t know if you wouldn’t try.”

Chanyeol is on the verge of running his hands in his locks in frustration if not for his styled hair. He hasn’t really thought of confessing to Baekhyun especially from the events that happened the past few weeks. Furthermore, he can’t just be selfish and gamble their friendship. Their friendship is so precious he is willing to keep his affections all for himself.

“It’s been so long, man.”

“I know, Dae.”

“We saw how the two of you stared at each other. Not to mention Baekhyun almost went batshit crazy when you were punched the second time!”

“And hyung, he even asked for your permission a while ago.”

Chanyeol listened carefully as he nursed his glass of alcohol, taking into consideration the points raised by his friends.

“See. If ever you two ended up being paired up for the last song, I wanted you to take a leap and confess to him.”

“It’s been so long since you’re bottling that up. It’s only fair for him to know about it too.”

“I’ll try man.”

“Okay! Enough of this brooding atmosphere. Guess who scored a date?!” Kris bellowed, stealthily making his way to the other side of the room. “I gotta go find my date.”

“Kris hyung, wait for me!”

“Guess I have the same fate with those, I really need to find Minseok. Good luck, man.”

 

 

Baekhyun came back not long after meeting Kyungsoo’s suitor, saying his goodbye politely and searched for his best friend. A smile immediately made its way to his lips as he saw him, nursing maybe his second, or third glass for the night.

He walked up to him and pried the glass from the taller’s hold, sipping from it and grimacing from the bitter aftertaste and receiving a deep chuckle.

“Where are they?”

“They went looking for their dates.”

“Oh. I guess it’s just the two of us again.” Baekhyun said, taking another sip from Chanyeol’s glass as he took note of his slight fidgeting.

“Hey Baek. I need to tell you something.”

“About?”

“Something really important. But I have to tell it to you later.”

“Why not now?”

Chanyeol chuckled. “Where’s the fun in that?”

They spent the night dancing in a slow dance on the floor and then alternately going to the counter to drink again. Halfway through their adventure, they bumped into Kris only to shriek in unison.

“You went with Tao?!”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Whatever.” Chanyeol retorted, pulling Baekhyun in his chest.

“Good luck with that one, lover boy. We gotta seat. See you at our table.”

Baekhyun quirked an eyebrow at that, looking up at Chanyeol for some clarifications.

“What is that all about?”

A nervous chuckle rumbled in Chanyeol’s chest. “Nothing.” Then he felt him cupping his nape and shoving his face into his chest.

The brunette always loved Chanyeol’s cologne especially the warmth that’s been seeping through their bodies. Chanyeol is like Baekhyun’s personal heater. But he cannot focus at hand because he felt that their friends have been keeping a secret on him. Not to mention Kris’ implying statement. So he groaned, burying his head in Chanyeol’s chest further. It didn’t also sit well that Chanyeol has something important to say to him.

It’s making him queasy. Chanyeol never told him something that important. Ugh.

Just then, the clock rung, signaling that they only have fifteen minutes more, and meaning they needed to wear their masks.

“See you later, Baekhyunee,” Chanyeol said, his hot breath ghosting in his ear as he squeezed his waist. He watched his best friend walked away from him to go look for a place in the circle. He was stunned and it took him a minute to realize that he needed to wear his mask now and find somewhere to stay.  He eyed every one of them, trying to match their masked face with Chanyeol’s tall frame but it was proven difficult when the lights suddenly turned dim and soft music flowed out from the speakers.

Every student started to find their partner and everything became messy after that. For every change in tempo, a new partner was twirled his way with some making small conversations, trying to guess who the man behind the mask is and going as far as to hit on him. Ugh. Damn it.

Baekhyun endured the duration of the dance, keeping his sanity in check as he wasn’t even partnered with someone familiar yet, except for Jongdae who gave him a meaningful message. “Good luck, sweet cheeks."

A slower tempo started to play—it’s the last song for the night. Baekhyun tried to entertain himself with the recollection of the tale, Sehun was talking about. If he is not mistaken, after this song, they needed to twirl and end up with the next person to their right and then took off their masks. Then you will meet the one.

Baekhyun has been too deep in his thought he doesn’t hear the last beat of the song and was surprised that he was being twirled. He was just thankful the man to his right managed to capture him just in time.

 

Chanyeol nearly scolded the man who twirled Baekhyun carelessly. If not for his fast reflexes, Baekhyun would totally lose his balance. He has been staring at him for the duration of the dance and watched him spaced out the last minute. He wanted to laugh at him but he also wanted to cry. This is it. This is the time he has been waiting.

While everyone was cheering with joy for ending up with the ones they’re in a relationship with, some were also sulking because they ended up with their enemies. But as for them, they haven’t really made a move to remove their masks.

He took a deep breath, then proceeded to remove his mask, chuckling as he saw Baekhyun’s eyes widen from behind his mask. He always has a soft spot for the smaller. They have been friends since their diaper days, growing up together and beside each other greatly (immensely) helped in the foundation of their friendship. They have been around each other for so long that they have shared many experiences together, from their first day in kindergarten to graduation ceremonies and to sneaking up for parties and sleeping together in one bed, cuddling each other to sleep.

They are each other's firsts and priority, having each other's beck and call through thick and thin. The two of them balance each other well. While one is rash, the other is careful with decisions. While one is hard-headed, one is rational. One is hot-tempered, one is patient. They complement each other so well.

They also have their fair share of skin ships. Their parents not bothering to call out on them when they arrived at their home with the two males cuddling on the couch, with Baekhyun's head safely tucked under Chanyeol's chin and Baekhyun's hand wrapped protectively around Chanyeol's waist, how Chanyeol loves to enclose Baekhyun's smaller hands with his larger ones. Or how their parents don't ask about the stack of each other's clothing in their separate closets.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun also have their fair share of arguments, bordering from petty to extremes. It only lasted for a few minutes to an hour though, with Chanyeol apologizing first.

He doesn't know what triggered him to think of those, making himself flustered from how broad his memory of Baekhyun and him resurfaced. Chanyeol also blamed Jongdae, Sehun, and Kris for feeding his mind with these images. 

He felt dazed and ecstatic from the realization. Has he always felt these things for Baekhyun? His best friend of more two decades? Right. Chanyeol must have kept these feelings at bay and safely tucked it in a folder at the back of his mind for future purposes.

“Hi.” He started, trying to suppress the laugh that was threatening to spill, sweeping his fringe in the process.

“We-we e-ended up being partners.” Baekhyun stuttered, looking up at him with relief.

“Yes. Is it okay with you?”

“It’s okay! I mean, it’s more than okay!”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun were both lost in their own bubble that they haven’t noticed their friends cheering upon them from the sidelines.

“What’s that important you wanted to tell me?” The brunette asked, feeling impatient with how he was stalling.

“Promise me you won’t get mad and hear me out.”

“You are making me nervous, Yeol.”

“Promise me first, Baekhyunee.”

Chanyeol tried to send him his best puppy eyes and took a deep breath, cupping Baekhyun’s face in the process.

“I promise.”

This is now or never.

“I love you, Byun Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol saw the flash of emotions in his best friend’s eyes. From shock, disbelief and is that joy? Baekhyun’s droopy eyes started to glazed and he was ready to open his mouth to answer but Chanyeol cut him off.

“I love you for a long time now. It’s so hard to hide these feelings anymore especially when you do those weird antics and then you became so clingy then you always wanted to cuddle then—“

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence when Baekhyun tiptoed and planted a soft kiss on his plump ones.

“You’re rumbling.” Baekhyun smoothened his suit jacket, then looked at him deep in the eyes. “Thought you’ll never going to say those words.”

The taller of the two stared at the smaller, mouth gaping like a fish. “What?

“You heard me, Park Chanyeol."

“Are you even serious?”

“What? Are you doubting me now?” Baekhyun said, removing Chanyeol’s hold on his face and taking a step back which alarmed him. Immediately taking a step forward and catching his waist.

“No! Of course not! It’s just that, you don’t have to say it now. Or you don’t have to say it out of pity. I can take rejections, Baek. I’m a man.”

“I know. And believe me when I say I love you because I do.

 

 

I love you, since forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted from [aff](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1304505/upside-down-fluff-baekhyun-chanyeol-baekyeol-chanbaek)  
> I posted this last year for Chanyeol's birthday :)  
> [AFF](https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/1427871)  
> [Tellonym](https://tellonym.me/coffeeandbeans)


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